Machine for folding ribbons and securing them to a support



July 31, 1956 J. SILVERMAN 2,756,805

MACHINE FOR FOLDING RIBBONS AND SECURING THEM TO A SUPPORT Filed Nov. 5, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JACOB SILVERMAN ATTORNEY July 31, 1956 SILVERMAN 2,756,805

MACHINE FOR FOIJDING RIBBONS AND SECURING THEM TO A SUPPORT Filed Nov. 5, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I58 I52 54, I48 (02 ml 112 we no 104 a? (42 5 I62 14, 94 I41 144 v50 I66 22 2 4 m:\\\\m\\\\\\\\- 3 98 I 4 3 20 78 3| 8 11111111111111]. wgkj I 16 'u I 2': H-. fig? III M w 1b INVENTOR.

JACOB SILVERMAN 44% Z15 /0 J15 ATTORNEY July 31, 1956 J. SILVERMAN 2,756,805

MACHINE FOR FOLDING RIBBONS AND SECURING THEM TO A SUPPORT Filed Nov. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I L I 4 2| I68 r15 a m INVENTOR. 3e a4 JACOB SILVERMAN 18 l h I70 BY TIE 9 ATTORNEY United States Patent MACHINE FOR FOLDING RIBBONS AND SECUR- ING THEM TO A SUPPORT Jacob 'Silverman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application November 5, 1953, Serial No. 390,277

9 Claims. (Cl. 154-1.8)

The present invention relates to a machine designed to fold predetermined lengths of sheet material such as ribbons or the like about a portion of a support, and, by the use of pressure and optionally by the additional use of heat, to secure those folded ribbon lengths in place. As specifically disclosed, the machine is especially well adapted for folding strips of ribbon around corners of a support.

Both for ornamental and utilitarian purposes it is often desired to produce articles which have strips of ribbon folded around portions thereof and secured thereto, usually by means of adhesive. One such object, to the production of which the machine of the present invention is specifically designed, is a ribbon-cornered diploma or certificate. In the past the afiixation of the ribbon strips to such articles usually has been performed manually, and consequently has been quite time consuming from a production point of view. Moreover, manual work is notoriously unreliable insofar as uniformity is concerned, and where several similar operations are to be performed on the same article, as where all four corners of the article are to be covered with ribbon, the incidence of rejects because of lack of uniform appearance of the corners is quite high.

In addition, manual manipulation of the parts involved presents a real problem and calls for considerable skill and experience. The lengths of ribbon or other sheet material must first be folded neatly and snugly. around the supporting article, adhesive having been interposed between the article and the ribbon, usually by pre-coating the article. Then, while the ribbon is held tautly in its folded condition, it must be pressed against the adhesive, and pounded by hand, in order that it may be securely retained in position. If any portion of the ribbon is permitted to slip from its tautly folded position prior to or during the adhering operation, the article may well be spoiled or have to be rejected.

According to the present invention a simple, compact and positively acting machine is provided which will feed predetermined lengths of the ribbon or other sheet material to a station where the folding and adhering steps are to be carried out, the machine also including means for cutting and uniformly folding the ribbon and drawing it taut around the article to which it is to be afiixed and then, while retaining the ribbon in that tautly drawn position, pressing the ribbon against the article, optionally accompanied by the application of heat, thus ensuring that the ribbon will be properly secured to the article in a uniform and dependable manner. The machine is designed so that it can readily be operated by comparatively unskilled individuals, thus materially decreasing unit wages as well as further decreasing unit cost through increased productivity and a greatly lessened number of rejects.

To the accomplishment of the above and to such further objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a ribbon folding and securing machine 2,756,805 Patented July 31, 1956 as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan view of the apparatus with the upper layer of the table removed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the first step in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1 and showing a subsequent step in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 7 but showing a subsequent step in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view showing the parts in the position of Fig. 8, the newly fed length of ribbon being removed for purposes of clarity of illustration;

Figs. 10 and 11 are top and bottom plan views respectively of one corner of the finished article; and

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of a complete finished article having ribbon strips folded around and secured to all four corners thereof.

The machine comprises a table generally designated 2 supported above a suitable surface 4 by means of legs 6. The table 2 comprises upper and lower plates or layers 8 and 10 vertically spaced from one another by parts 12 and secured to one another by screws 14. The upper layer 8 is provided with an aperture 15 defined, in the form here specifically disclosed, by perpendicular edges 16 and 18 meeting at vertex 20, the area adjacent the vertex 20 constituting an operating station at which the various manipulations are performed. Raised guide strips 21 and 23extend along the edges 16 and 18 respectively forwardly of the operating station.

Slidable in the space between the table layers 8 and 10 are a pair of folding elements 22 and 24, these elements having elongated slots 26 through which screws 28 pass for limiting the direction and extent of movement of the elements 22 and 24. Each of those elements is provided with a depending finger 30 passing through apertures 31 and to which a spring 32 is secured, the other end of the spring being anchored in any appropriate manner on the frame of the machine at a point rearwardly of the finger 30 so as to resiliently withdraw the folding elements 22 and 24 to their position shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The elements 22 and 24 are provided with edges 34 and 36 preferably at the same angle to one another as at edges 16 and 18 of the upper table layer 8. When the elements 22 and 24 are in their normal or retracted position, to which they are urged by the action of the springs 32, the element edges 34 and 36 are outside the aperture edges 16 and 18 respectively (see Fig. 1). However, when the elements 22 and 24 are moved forwardly in the direction of the arrows 38 of Fig. 5, their edges 34 and 36 project inwardly of the table plate edges 16 and 18 respectively. Since it is the element edges 34 and 36 which actually perform the folding and drawing operation on the ribbon, those edges are preferably curved upwardly, that curvature also preventing interference with the edges 16 and 18, as may best be seen from Figs. 7 and 8. The forward portions of the elements 22 and 24 are provided with edges 40 and 42 respectively which are outwardly stepped with respect to the edges 34 and 36 respectively, so that when the elements 22 and 24 are moved forwardly they will only project under the aperture defined by the table plate edges 16 and 18 at the rearward portion thereof defining the operating station. The upper table plate or layer 8 may be provided with guide strips 44 and 46 extending downwardly and secured to the forward portions of the guide strips 21 and 23 respectively to partially close the open space between the layers 8 and except where the folding element edges 34 and 36 are to project out therefrom, and also optionally to act as positive stops limiting the forward movements of the elements 22 and 24 by engagement with the edges 40 and 42 thereof. They also serve to locate the support on which the ribbon is to be mounted when the machine is used.

In order to move the elements 22 and 24, a plate 48 is slidably received between the table layers 8 and 10 and the spaced parts 12, the plate 48 engaging the elements 22 and 24 and extending out rearwardly from the table 2 when the elements 22 and 24 are in their normal retracted position. The rearwardly projecting portion of the plate 48 engages lever 50 pivotally mounted at 52 on a bracket 54 extending to the rear of the frame of the machine, the lower end 56 of the lever 51 having an inclined surface 58 engaged by the rearwardly projecting end 60 of a lever 62 which is pivotally mounted at 64 in a bracket 65 under the table 2 and which has an end 66 which projects out forwardly beyond the table frame. A spring 68 is operative between the lever end 66 and the machine frame so as to constantly tend to pivot the lever 62 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. A link 70 extends down from the lever end 66 to a foot treadle 72 which functions as an element controlling the operation of the machine. Whenever the foot treadle 72 is depressed by the operator of the machine, thus causing the link 70 to move down in the direction of the arrow 74 in Fig. 2, the spring 68 will be extended, the lever 62 will be caused to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, its end 60 will slide along the inclined surface 58, the lever 50 will be caused to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, the plate 48 will be forced inwardly, and hence the folding elements 22 and 24 will be moved from their normal or retracted position to their operative actuated position, their edges 34 and 36 sliding out beyond the aperture edges 16 and 18 of the upper table layer 8 at the operating station.

Located below the operating station and below the aperture is a pressure plate 76 movable vertically through an opening 78 in the lower table layer 10. It is preferred that an electrically energized heater 80 be incorporated within the pressure plate 76 so that the latter may be maintained at an elevated temperature. The machine frame is provided with brackets 65 and 82 beneath the table 2 from which screws 84 project upwardly to an adjustable extent, those screws being located under appropriate portions of the pressure plate 76 so as to define rests therefor. The screws 84 are preferably adjusted so that when the pressure plate 76 rests on them the upper surface of the pressure plate 76 is below the upper surface of the lower table layer 10. The lever 62 passes under the center of the plate 76 and is provided with a platelifting structure generally designated 86, that structure, in the form here specifically disclosed, comprising a spring 83 and a pin 90 slidable therethrough, the length of the pin being such, as shown in Fig. 2, that when the lever 62 is in its normal clockwise rotated position the pin 90 is separated from the lower surface of the pressure plate 76. In this position the spring 88 merely supports the weight of the plate 76, holding it so that its upper surface is not substantially above the upper surface of the lower table layer 10. The spring 88 is optional, and it would be entirely permissible for the pressure plate 76 to rest upon the screws 84 in its normal lower position. The spring 88 does, however, perform an important function.

When the lever 62 is caused to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, as when the treadle 72 is depressed, the pressure plate 76 is caused to be lifted because the spring 88 and pin 90 are lifted. The sequence of operations is such that the folding elements 22 and 24 are caused to be moved to their projected position before the pressure plate 76 is positively urged upwardly by engagement therewith of the pin 90. It is here that the spring 88 and pin 90 performed their cooperative functions. The spring 88, as it is compressed during the initial counter-clockwise movement of the lever 62, resiliently urges the pressure plate 76 upwardly against the folding elements 22 and 24, but the upward pressure exerted on the plate 76 by the spring 88 is of a strength such that the folding elements 22 and 24 are not bound, and they continue to move and draw the ribbon to desired position. By the time that the folding elements 22 and 24 have been fully moved forwardly, the pin 90 will engage the underside of the pressure plate 76, after which pressure exerted on the foot treadle 72 will be positively transmitted to the pressure plate 76 so as to urge it upwardly with great force. Movement of the lever 62 to perform this function is permitted by the cooperation of the curved end 60 of the lever 62 with the inclined surface 58 on the lever 50.

Mounted on the top of the upper table layer 2 is a ribbon feeding means generally designated 92. It comprises a guide 94 in the form of a channeled strip of material through which the ribbon 96 is slidable, the upper portion of the guide being open at 98. A reel 10% of the ribbon 96 is rotatably mounted at 101 to one side of the table 2, the ribbon 96 passing up from the reel 100 into the guide 94, the end 162 of the guide 94 terminating adjacent the operating station.

A shuttle 104 is mounted above and outside the guide 94 between raised supports 106 and 108, the latter being slotted at 110 for the movement theret hrough of a driving pin 112 connected to the shuttle 104 and passing through elongated slot 114 of lever 116, the latter extending horizontally under the table 2 and being pivotally I mounted at 118. A spring 120 acts on the lever 116 so as to cause it to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, thus retracting the shuttle 104. The forward end of the lever 116 is connected by pin 121 and elongated slot 123 to laterally sl-idable arm 122, the latter being mounted in a guide 124 underneath the forward end of the table 2, the end 126 of the arm 122 engaging the upper end 128 of vertically extending lever 130 pivoted at 132 and having an arm 134 which is engaged by an angular arm 136 extending from lever 62. Whenever the treadle 72 is depressed and the lever 62 is caused to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the arm 136 thereon presses down on the arm 134, the lever 130 pivots in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, the arm 122 slides in the direction of the arrow 138 of Fig. 4, the lever 116 pivots in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, and the shut- -tle 104 is projected forwardly.

Extending forwardly and downwardly from the shuttle 104 is a resilient finger 140 having a toothed end extending into the opening 98 at the top of the guide 94 so as to engage the upper surface of the ribbon 96. Whenever the shuttle 104 is projected forwardly, as by the linkage operation just described, the toothed end of the finger 140 bites into the ribbon 96 and feeds it forwardly a distance equal to the throw of the shuttle 104, thus causing it to project outwardly beyond the end 102 of the guide 94 and across the aperture 15 at the operating station in the vicinity of the vertex 20. Because of the inclination of the finger 140, when the shuttle 104 is retracted under the action of the spring 120 the finger 140 will merely slide over the upper surface of the ribbon 96 without causing any appreciable retraction thereof. In order to prevent even that small amount of retraction which might be caused by the friction between the finger 140 and the ribbon 96, a second finger 142 is provided, fixedly mounted on the upper portion of the guide 94 .and having a tip 144 which resiliently extends forwardly and downwardly through a slot 146 in the upper portion-of the guide 94. A leaf spring 141 is mounted inside the guide 94 under the ribbon 96 and normally forces'the ribbon 96 upwardly, thus ensuring proper action of the fingers 140 and 142 thereon. It will be appreci-ated that the tip 144 of the fingerpl42 will permit the ribbon 96 to slide thereunder in afeeding direction, but will bite into the ribbon 96 and prevent it from being retracted.

In order to sever the fed ribbon lengths from thecontinuous ribbon strip, a ribbon cutting element, generally designated 148 is mounted on the upper table layer 8 adjacent the end 102 of the ribbon guide 94. As here disclosed this element comprises a knife edge 150 on a lever 152 pivotally mounted at 154 on supporting block 156 and provided with an operating handle 158. A spring 160 active between the upper end of thelever 152 and the block 156 tends to cause the lever to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and lift the knife edge 150. When the operating handle 158 is depressed, the knife edge 150 moves downwardly past the end 102 of the ribbon guide 94, thus severing the fed length of ribbon at that point. The ribbon guide 94 is slightly elevated above the upper table layer 8, and a bar 161 is provided over which the ribbon 96 is fed and past which the knife edge 150 slides to sever the ribbon. A fairly strong leaf spring 162 is secured to the block 156 and acts against the lower portion of the lever 152 so as to urge it toward the bar 161 and thus ensure proper cutting action.

In order to guide the leading edge of the ribbon 96, a flexible leaf spring 164 is mounted on the upper table 8 on that side of the aperture opposite the end 102 of the ribbon guide 94, and between the guide s-trips166 and 168 which extend laterally over the table 2 toward the operating station, the strips 166 and 168 being spaced from one another by a distance comparableto the width of the ribbon 96.

The manner of use of the machine of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the folding and securing of predetermined lengths of ribbon to corners of a supporting article generally designated 170. To start the machine the treadle 72 is depressed. At the outset the only significant function which this will perform is to feed a predetermined length of the ribbon 96 over the operating station adjacent the vertex 20, the leading portion of the ribbon passing between the guide strips 166 and 168 and under the leaf spring 164. The treadle is released, the shuttle 104 moves back to its retracted position, and the operator severs the projected length of ribbon from the continuous ribbon strip by pressing down on the operating handle 158. The machine is now ready for sequential operation.

A corner of the supporting article 170 is placed on top of the severed ribbon strip, which will be designated 96. A suitable adhesive (not shown) has preferably already been applied to those surfaces of the supporting article 170 to which the ribbon 96 is to be attached. The angularity of the aperture edges 16 and 18 and of the edges 34 and 36 of the folding elements 22 and 24 preferably closely correspond to the angularity of the corner edges of the support 170. This position of the parts is illustrated in Fig. 6. The guide strips 21, 23, 44 and 46 serve to locate the support 170 properly.

The support 170 is then pressed down between the guide strips 44, 46 so that the corner in question passes through the aperture defined by the edges 16 and 18 and past the edges 34 and 36 of the folding elements 22 and 24 until it rests upon the pressure plate 76. Down-ward pres-sure is preferably applied so as to compress the spring 88 and cause the pressure plate 78 to rest upon the screws 84. Since the ribbon strip '96 is longer than the width of the aperture through which it is forced, the ends of the ribbon strips 96' will be caused to stand up, as shown in Fig. 7.

The operator then depresses the treadle 7-2. This causes several operations to take place. In the first place, the edges 34 and 36 of the folding elements 22 and 24 are caused to wipe over the upper surface of the support 170, while at the same time the pressure plate 76 is being urged upwardly by the spring 88. A considerable degree of friction between the folding elements 22 and 24 6 and the ribbon strip 96' is therefore produced, and the folding elements 22 and 24 will consequently draw the strip 96 tautly over the corners of the support 170.. In Fig. 8 the initial portion of this movement is disclosed, While in Fig. ,9 the completed movement of the folding elements 22 and 24 is shown. I

At the same time, a new strip of ribbon 96" of predetermined length is fed to the operating station and over the aperturein the upper table plate 8 ready for the next operation.

After the folding operation has been completed, further pressure on the treadle 72 will positively press the pressure plate 76 upwardly, .thus pressing the ribbon 96, which has now been folded completely over the upper and lower surfaces of the corners of the support 170, against that support and against the. adhesive thereon. This pressure, together with heat engendered by the heater 80, if present, when maintained for a short period of time on the order of a few seconds at most causes the ribbon 96' to become firmly attached to the support 170. During the time that the pressure is applied, the operator:will again depress the handle 158 on the ribbon cutting element 148, thus severing the ribbon strip 96". 1, i

Upon release of the treadle 72, the pressure plate 76 is permitted to fall, the folding elements 22 and 24 move to the rear, and the support 170, with one corner neatly and securely covered by the ribbon strip 96, is withdrawn in a forward direction. Another support or another corner of they same support 170 is then positioned above the ribbon strip 96", and the sequence continues.

7 While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here disclosed, it will be apparent that many detailed variations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for folding ribbons and securingthem in position on a support comprising a table having an operating station, means for feeding predetermined lengths of ribbon to said station above said table, folding elements beneath said feeding means and movable with respect to said table between a normal position beyond said station and an actuated position over said station, a control element, and operative connections between said control element and said feeding means and folding elements for actuating said feeding means and said folding elements substantially simultaneously whenever said control element is actuated;

2. The machine of claim 1, in which said table comprises an upper layer and a lower layer, said upper layer having at said operating station an aperture of a size and shape comparable to that of the part of said support to which said ribbon lengths are to be secured, said folding elements being slidable between said layers substantially in a single plane, said folding elements when in their normal position being beyond said aperture and when in their actuated position extending into said aperture, said ribbon lengths being fed above said upper layer and over said aperture.

3. A machine for folding ribbons and securing them in position on a support comprising a frame, a table supported thereby and having upper and lower layers, said upper layer having an aperture therethrough at and extending from an operating station on said table, folding elements between said layers and movable substantially in a single plane between a normal position beyond said aperture and an actuated position within said aperture at said station, a guide above said upper layer directed toward and terminating short of said station for guiding predetermined lengths of ribbon to said station, feeding means active on said ribbon lengths, when actuated, to cause said ribbon lengths to extend out beyond said guide means over said aperture at said station, a control element, and means operatively connecting said control element to said folding elements and said feeding means for actuating said feeding means and said folding elementssubstantially simultaneously whenever said control element is actuated.

"4. The machine of claim 3, in which said feedin means comprises a member movable above said upper layer between a first position remote from-and a second position closer to said aperture, said member having a finger inclined forwardly and downwardly toward said aperture and toward and resiliently engaging said ribbon lengths so as to feed said ribbon lengths as said member is moved to its first position and to slide over said ribbon as said member is moved to its second position.

5. In the machine of claim 4, a second finger fixedly mounted on said frame above said table and inclined forwardly and downwardly toward said aperture and resiliently engaging said ribbon lengths, said second finger substantially preventing retraction of said ribbon lengths as said feeding member is moved to its second position.

6. A machine for folding ribbons and securing them in position on a support comprising a table having an operating station defined by a pair of guiding elements meeting at an angle to form a corner, means for feeding pre determined lengths of ribbon to said station above said table and across said corner from one side thereof to the other, folding elements beneath said feeding means and movable with respect to said table substantially in "a single plane between a normal position beyond said station and an actuated position over said station, a control element, and operative connections between said control element and said feeding means and folding elements for actuating said feeding means and said folding elements substantially simultaneously whenever said control element is actuated.

7. A machine for folding ribbons and securing them in position on a support comprising a frame, a table supported thereby and having upper and lower layers, said upper layer having an aperture therethrough at and extending from an operating station on said table, said aperture including a pair of side edges meeting at an angle to form a corner, folding elements between said layers and movable substantially in a single plane between a normal position beyond said aperture and an actuated position within said aperture at said station and along said side edges of said aperture, a guide above said upper layer directed toward and terminating short of said station adjacent said corner and being oriented toward said corner for guiding predetermined lengths of ribbon to said station, feeding means active on said ribbon lengths, when actuated, to cause said ribbon lengths to extend out beyond said guide means over said aperture at said station across said corner and from one side thereof to the other, a control element, and means operatively connecting said control element to said folding elements and said feeding means for actuating said feeding means and said folding elements whenever said control element is actuated.

8. The machine of claim 7, in which said feeding means comprises a member movable above said upper layer between a first position remote from and a second position closer to said aperture, said member having a finger inclined forwardly and downwardly toward said aperture and toward and resiliently engaging said ribbon lengths so as to feed said ribbon lengths as said member is moved to its first position and to slide over said ribbon lengths as said member is moved to its second position.

9. In a machine of claim 8, a second finger fixedly mounted on said frame above said table and inclined forwardly and downwardly toward said aperture and resiliently engaging said ribbon lengths, said second finger substantially preventing retraction of said ribbon lengths as said feeding member is moved to its second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 282,166 Coates et a1. July 31 1883 1,355,872 Warner et al Oct. 19, 1920 1,811,871 Anthony June 30, 1931 2,501,178 Kellermann Mar. 21, 1950 2,545,798 Sjostrom Mar. 20, 1951 2,569,534 Netz Oct. 2, 1951 

